Difficulty Levels - xopherdeep/do-it-for-the-xp GitHub Wiki

Difficulty Levels

The Do It For The XP system uses the Fibonacci sequence (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144) to rate the difficulty of beasts (tasks). This mathematical progression creates a natural scaling system that provides appropriate challenges and rewards.

Fibonacci Difficulty Scale

Fibonacci Value Difficulty Name Description Location Examples
1 Trivial Very simple, quick tasks Random Encounters Putting away a single item, Watering one plant
2 Simple Basic tasks with minimal effort Random Encounters Loading the dishwasher, Brief email check
3 Easy Standard daily tasks Random Encounters Cleaning a bathroom sink, Daily report
5 Moderate Tasks requiring some focus Random/Temples Vacuuming the house, Processing emails
8 Challenging Complex tasks needing planning Rare Random/Temples Organizing a closet, Weekly work summary
13 Difficult Tasks requiring significant effort Temples Deep cleaning kitchen, Project milestone
21 Very Difficult Major tasks with multiple parts Temples Full home organization, Project phase
34 Extremely Difficult Complex projects with dependencies Temples Room renovation, Major work deliverable
55 Insane Massive undertakings Temple Bosses Complete home overhaul, Multiple deliverables
89 Legendary Ultimate challenges Temple Guardians Moving homes, Complete project delivery
144 Mythical Near-impossible feats Secret Temples Life-changing achievements, Mastery demonstrations

Why Fibonacci?

The Fibonacci sequence (where each number is the sum of the two preceding ones) creates a natural progression that:

  1. Scales appropriately: The increasing gap between numbers represents how difficulty increases non-linearly
  2. Creates balance: Provides clear differentiation between difficulty tiers
  3. Simplifies reward calculations: Makes it easy to calculate proportional XP, GP, and AP rewards

Difficulty Components

Beast difficulty is calculated based on several factors:

For Task-Based Beasts

  1. Number of Subtasks: More subtasks = higher difficulty
  2. Estimated Time: Longer tasks = higher difficulty
  3. Complexity: Tasks requiring specific skills or tools = higher difficulty
  4. Dependencies: Tasks requiring other tasks to be completed first = higher difficulty
  5. Physical/Mental Effort: Tasks requiring significant exertion = higher difficulty

For Random Encounters

  1. Terrain Type: Harder terrains spawn more difficult beasts
  2. Player Level: As players level up, encounter difficulty increases
  3. Time of Day: Some time periods have harder encounters
  4. Previous Completion: Repeated encounters with similar beasts become easier

Visual Indicators

Difficulty is visually communicated to players through:

Color Coding

  • Levels 1-3: Green (Easy)
  • Levels 5-8: Yellow (Moderate)
  • Levels 13-21: Orange (Hard)
  • Levels 34-144: Red (Extreme)

Beast Appearance

  • Higher difficulty beasts have more intimidating visual designs
  • More difficult beasts may have visible armor, weapons, or special effects
  • Size often correlates with difficulty

Rewards Scaling

Rewards scale with difficulty using the Fibonacci value as a multiplier:

Fibonacci Value XP Base GP Base AP Base Item Quality
1 100 10 1 Common
2 200 20 2 Common+
3 300 30 3 Uncommon
5 500 50 5 Uncommon+
8 800 80 8 Rare
13 1,300 130 13 Rare+
21 2,100 210 21 Epic
34 3,400 340 34 Epic+
55 5,500 550 55 Legendary
89 8,900 890 89 Legendary+
144 14,400 1,440 144 Mythical

Difficulty Progression

As players defeat beasts and level up, the game adjusts:

  1. Scaling: Base difficulty of random encounters increases with level
  2. Unlocking: Higher difficulty temple floors become accessible
  3. Transformation: Previously challenging beasts become easier as player skills improve
  4. Adaptation: The system learns player patterns and adjusts difficulty accordingly

Adjusting Difficulty

Players have some control over difficulty:

  1. Terrain Selection: Choose easier terrains for simpler encounters
  2. Temple Selection: Some temples are inherently more challenging than others
  3. Path Choice: Within temples, choose easier or harder paths
  4. Preparation: Using items and abilities can effectively lower the practical difficulty
  5. Settings: Players can adjust their overall difficulty preference in settings
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